[2584] Such is God Almighty’s Omnipotence: “She ˹Mariam˺ said: “My Lord, how can I have a child, while no human ˹has ever˺ touched me?” He said: “Thus Allah creates what He wills. When He decrees a matter, He only says: “Be!” and it is”” (3: 47).
[2585] Abraham’s (عليه السلام) household (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Baghawī). ʿAbdul Raḥmān Ibn Abī Laylā said: “Kaʿb Ibn ʿUjrah (رضي الله عنه) met me and said: “Shall I not present you with a gift I heard from the Prophet (ﷺ)”. I said: “Yes!” He said: “We asked the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ): “Messenger of Allah! In what way can supplicating for blessings and peace upon you and your family be conveyed? Allah has told us how to greet each other”. He said: “Say: “O Allah! Descend Your ṣalāh ˹peace and blessings˺ on Muhammad and the family of Muhammad as You descended your ṣalāh on Ibrāhīm and the family of Ibrāhīm. Indeed, You are the Laudable, the Glorious. O Allah! Bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad as You blessed Ibrāhīm and the family of Ibrāhīm. Indeed, You are the Laudable, the Glorious˺”” (al-Bukhārī: 3370; Muslim: 406).
[2586] Compassionate as Abraham was to intercede on behalf of such gravely wrongful people, he was told by the angels to cease; the matter had been set and sealed (cf. al-Biqāʿī, Naẓm al-Durar).
[2587] He feared the worst for them whereby his people would want to physically violate them. Knowing how hooked on their vileness they were, he rightly predicted their reaction (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Qurṭubī, Ibn Kathīr).
[2588] This imagery vividly captures how far they were gone in their wild lustfulness: “The people of the city came in ˹mad˺ joy ˹at news of the new arrivals˺. *He said: “These are my guests: disgrace me not! *Fear Allah, and shame me not!” (15: 67-69).
[2589] Exegetes hold different opinions as to who Prophet Lot (عليه السلام) exactly meant by ‘my daughters’. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, Riḍā and Ibn ʿĀshūr have it that he meant by these, given that a Prophet is the patriarch of his nation, the assaulters’ own women. On the other hand, other exegetes, for example, al-Baghawī, Ibn ʿAṭiyyah, Ibn al-Qayyim¸ al-Jawāb al-Kāfī, p. 172, are of the view that he actually meant his own biological daughters. al-Qāsimī further explains that this was to show that he was ready to protect his guests from defilement by whatever means was available, as a gesture of honour befitting a Prophet’s dictates, and in full realization that these men were only and wholeheartedly lusting after those of their own sex and that no such mere face-saving offer would lure them. Yet, Ibn al-Jawzī has it that this was an offer of marriage.
[2590] He thought he lacked the necessary cover of protection, especially that of his own clan (cf. al-Baiḍāwī, al-Shawkānī). But, in that dire situation, his Protector was none but God Almighty. Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Messenger (ﷺ) said: “May Allah bless Lūṭ; he sought the support of ˹true˺ Unflinching Backing!” (al-Bukhārī: 3372; Muslim: 151).
[2591] At this point, God blinded their sights (cf. Ibn ʿĀshūr): “They surely solicited his guests of him, so We sealed their eyes” (54: 37).
[2592] They made their escape very late at night at the time of saḥar, i.e. when dawn was about to break: “...except the house of Lūṭ; We delivered them ˹just˺ before dawn” (54: 34).
[2593] “So We saved him and his family, except for his woman; We destined her to be among the laggards” (27: 57).